What Is A Marching Band?
by Scorpio sorceress
Summary: What will Hogwarts do when their adoring Head Girl discovers that the ancient school never had a Marching Band? Will the school rally behind her and participate? And will there be new friendships formed? Read to find out... HBP spoilers
1. Remembrance and Revelations

A/N: This is my first story…I actually have one on my friend, Undomiel8's account…Check it out!! It's called _A Fresh Attempt_… I hope you enjoy this story as well! It is based on many true events that happen in our own marching band along with many things my friends tell me! Scorpio Sorceress...

Disclaimer: I sadly do not own any of the characters (AKA Harry Potter...) or the places (Hogwarts...). It is all owned by the illustrious J.K. Rowling! She is my hero!

Title: What is A Marching Band?

Chapter 1: Remembrance and Revelations

Hermione sat on the sofa in the luxurious common room of the head's dorm. She had just come back from the Welcome Feast. The sorting went well...it was as normal as it had ever been since she had first started at Hogwarts. The hat didn't say anything out of the ordinary just some nonsense about house unity. Even with Dumbledore gone, his spirit still remained; always trying to unite the houses. She wished it might work but it would have to start at the top with the heads. Speaking of heads..._Where is Malfoy, now? It's almost time for patrolling..._

**_Who knows? Do you care?_**

_No...Well maybe...no! I don't care, one bit...Leave me alone. I want to finish reading._

She leaned back against the soft leather sofa and opened her book. Before school started, while at Diagon Alley, she purchased the recently revised 'Hogwarts: A History.' It summarized all the information but also described in detail Dumbledore's death and Harry's defeat of Voldemort. Hermione remembered every detail of the war, as Harry had so many times recounted it. A few bitter tears slid down her cheek as she remembered her former Headmaster and the dark summer that wasn't so long ago.

...Flash Back...

Harry, Ron and Hermione crept slowly through the dark wooded area. It was just before dusk and they could hear the night creatures coming alive in the under brush. Each rustle of leaf, each snap of a twig, set the Golden Trio on edge.

Hermione looked over her shoulder with an uneasy look. "Harry...did you see that? Something just snuck into the brush over there," Hermione whispered as she pointed towards the brush piled near a cluster of trees.

"Don't be silly Hermione, there is nothing there," replied Ron looking at the same place. They continued on, moving deeper into the murky forest but the moonlight started to filter in through the canopy leaves and they reached a clearing.

"This is strange. It is way too quiet," said Harry. He walked into the clearing, turning slowly about observing each detail. Coming up close to a pile of rocks, Harry bent down for a closer look. Amongst the rocks lay a robe... not any normal Wizarding robe (but yet again what is normal in the Wizarding world)... a Hogwarts robe. Hermione and Ron rushed over, trying to keep quiet as the leaves crunched beneath their feet. Harry picks up the robe to inspect it... "Guys, it's a Slytherin robe..." he said as he ran a finger over the house crest on the robe.

Hermione bent down to look at it closer, "Hey, there is a prefect badge on it...but it's too large to be a girls robe...must be-" She paused and surveyed the clearing. Things started to become more focused. The ground was rough in some places, footprints scattered the dusty earth, and some of the tree branches were broken in places. Ron stood up next to her gripping her hand. She was taken by surprise but didn't let him or Harry see it on her face. Harry stood up, walking in the center of the clearing with the robe draped over his arm. Ron and Hermione followed and they all stood back to back, rotating in a circle in search of anything else out of the ordinary.

"Over there..." Hermione whispered breaking her stance and walked slowly to an elongated shadow partially hidden by brush. She approached it slowly and discovered that it was a body...Draco's body! "Guys, hurry its, Malfoy."

"Well if it's Malfoy, leave him..." replied the boys together, with disgust. "Who would trust Malfoy after everything he has done to us over the years, including at the end of the sixth year," said Ron. Harry looked at Ron, "Ron... he wasn't the one who killed Dumbledore...He actually backed down...It was Snape who did it. Don't you remember me telling you that?"

"Yah, but he's still a Malfoy and his father's a Death Eater. Come to think, he probably is one too!" spat Ron, moving to help Hermione up, but she refused.

"Harry...I'm staying here. He might be able to tell us something..." said Hermione. It worried Harry that she would stay with an enemy but he knew that out of the three of them, she could help him the most.

"Come on Ron, we have to move on...Hermione will be fine," Harry said, pulling Ron behind him. They walked out of the clearing and into the darkness again, but Ron stopped, looking over his shoulder at Hermione.

"BE CAR—" Harry pointed his wand at Ron's throat to silence him. "Do you want to get us caught?" He stressed and Ron shook his head in a definite 'no'. "Good..." Harry removed the spell and they continued on.

Hermione watched them leave and began to examine Draco's body. She could feel a pulse and hear shallow breathing as she opened his button-down shirt. _Stay in the appropriate mind frame, Miss Granger..._ She mentally scolded herself. Taking her wand and casting a spell, Hermione used it to see if there were any broken bones. He had a few cracked ribs but that was the full extent of his injuries.

"Well that's a relief...maybe he'll wake up and we will follow Harry and Ron." She stood up and paced about the clearing a bit. It seemed that the clearing was closing in on her. She then heard the leaves rustling on the edge of the clearing.

"Harry...Ron...?" she called softly into the woods but what she heard was a different response.

"Who's there?" She turned around to see Draco moving, sitting up slowly. Hermione spun around and rushed over to help him sit up, "What happened to you Malfoy?"

"Oh, it's just you mudblood..." he replied in his smart ass attitude.

"That wasn't a very nice thing to say since I just saved your life."

"How do you figure?" he said, but winced holding his chest slightly.

"Well, as you can obviously see...you had cracked ribs."

"What do you mean 'had' cracked ribs?"

"God...do I have to describe everything to you in detail?" Draco nodded his head and smirked at her. Hermione sighed at how annoying her fellow classmate was.

"I fixed them with magic you moron...How else do you think I would? Wait...Don't answer that question!"

Draco groaned as he stood up, "I thought you said that you fixed them?"

"Yes, I did but I forgot to tell you that I couldn't heal the bruising. What kind of person do you think I am, to leave my worst enemy pain free? Well, I'm leaving to find Harry and Ron, unless you can tell me what happened to you."

Draco looked at her confused, "So you mean Potter and Weasel are here too?"

"Tell me I don't have to check your head too?"

"You could if you want..." he replied with the usual pain-in-the-ass-Malfoy smirk and stepped closer to her.

She made a retching noise as she rolled her eyes, putting several paces between them. "Get me out of here..."

"So don't you want me to tell you what happened or not?" said Draco, sitting down on a rock, massaging his chest.

Hermione came back over to him and sat on the rock across from him, "Okay, I'm listening..."

* * *

Ron and Harry continued to stumble through the murky forest, looking for anything out of the ordinary (come on since they had already found Draco Malfoy passed out in the middle of the forest).

"Harry, do you think it was safe to leave Hermione with Malfoy? Do you trust him?" said Ron, looking around nervously.

"Oh, Ron...don't worry about it," replied Harry but he stopped suddenly. He stopped Ron to and motioned with his head down the path where a dark shadow stood hidden in the darkness.

Not quite sure whether it was a trick of their eyes or an actual shadow, they advanced down the trail, both keeping a mindful eye on the forest around them. Looking forward again, there was another shadow lurking in the depths.

"Harry? Did you just see that?" Ron whispered, his voice hitching in his throat.

Harry looked forward and saw the two shadows. He squinted into the misty that was rolling in and yelled, "**RON!!** **DUCK!!**" Harry managed to push Ron out of the way as a blur of red light shot past were his head would have been. They got to their feet, scrambling for the edge of the woods, trying to avoid the rapid fire of curses shooting in their general direction. Harry and Ron crept through the mist that had now seeped into the close knit forest. As they got closer, they both could make out the silhouettes of the two figures. One on the tall side with long hair, tied at the nape of his neck and the other a somewhat baldhead and spider-like fingers.

"Ron...Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" whispered Harry as he withdrew his wand. They were both crouching behind the two men. Ron nodded and withdrew his wand. They stood up silently watching the two men. Their heads were turning furtively in search of their query.

"**NOW!**" shouted Harry. "**EXPELLIARMUS!!**" The two men flew back into the air as Harry and Ron collected their wands. They scrambled to their feet looking around, nervously, for an escape.

"Harry...its Lucius and Volde-"

"**STUPIFY!!**" Harry yelled, pointed his wand at both the men preventing them from escaping.

They lay there, stunned, not able to move. Harry moved over to them and sneered down at them maliciously. He wanted to kill them and he knew that they were feeding off his unexpressed anger but he wasn't scum like they were.

"Ron...Go find the rest of the Order! They will know what to do..." Ron disappearated in search of the Order members still out hunting for Voldemort. The stunning charm was wearing off, so Harry did what he knew best. After placing both men under a full body-bind curse, Harry used a spell that he had regretted using in his sixth year.

"**SECTUMSEMPRA!**" Both men started to bleed profusely but Harry knew they wouldn't die, "Thank Severus Snape for that one..." Harry watched over them, until he heard a slew of pops and he came face to face with Ron and several members of the Order.

"Harry what did you do to them?" muttered Tonks, gripping a piece of Lupin's robes. Moody stepped forward, taking Lucius and Voldemort wands from Harry. He was about to raise his hand to finish the two men off when Harry stopped him.

"Spare Lucius...Let him stand trial before his peers..."

"And what about Volde- umm- what do we do about him?" stuttered Ron, pointing at Voldemort.

"Kill him...let him suffer like everyone else he has inadvertently murdered."

"**AVADA KEDAVRA!**" muttered Moody, and the Dark Lord was no more.

Together, they bound Lucius and several appearated with him back to the Ministry, where he would be put to good use in the search for the remaining Death Eaters. Harry and Ron started back into the forest, in search of the clearing where they left Hermione with Malfoy.

* * *

"...And that is what happened," finished Draco. He looked up at Hermione, who had moved to sit next to him. It was strange for it seemed like things were different between them now. Hermione wasn't looking at him but he could tell that she was still trying to process what he had told her.

_I can't believe it was Draco's own father who attacked him! His own father...WOW! And all this time Draco was really on our side. He never meant for the Death Eaters to actually get in or for Dumbledore to be killed. That is why we never saw him during the rest of the school year last year. Draco went into hiding from the Ministry but it all was a ploy created by the Order. They had hired him as a spy and he penetrated the ranks of the Dark Lord...his own father found out and tried to kill him...What kind of person would do that? Malfoy..._

Hermione turned to face Draco and she had tears in her eyes. "Draco...I'm sorry for what happened all those years of school and I'm sorry for what may happen to your father..."

"Please don't speak of him. He is the one who hurt me and he doesn't need your sympathy," replied Draco. He took her hand gently, held it with care. She smiled at him and for the first time in a long time, she saw a genuine smile creep across Draco's face.

"Your smile suits you..." whispered Hermione. Draco smiled widely and leaned towards her. Hermione had no clue what he was doing until she felt his silky lips touch hers. She gasped and pulled back.

"Oh...I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't mean to-" but Draco stopped because this time Hermione's lips met his and they were full of pent-up emotion. She wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. Her fingers traveled through his hair, as she felt his tongue slide across her lips. He slipped his tongue in her mouth tasting how sweet she was. He sighed quietly as he felt Hermione's hands graze over his chest but something neither of them was expecting happened.

"HERMIONE?!?!" yelled Ron, as he entered the small glade. Harry stumbled in behind him and stood there in shock at the scene before them, frighten him. There was Hermione and Malfoy in a full out kiss and nothing seemed to interrupt it. Ron strode over and pulled Malfoy off of Hermione. "What the bloody hell do you think you are doing to my girlfriend?" bellowed Ron.

Hermione looked shocked, "uhm...Excuse me? I'm not your 'girlfriend'!" She stood up and tried to pull Ron away from Draco.

"It's okay, Hermione...I will just be going." Draco wrenched his body out of Ron's grasp and with a pop was gone.

Hermione looked at Ron and Harry, "Why do you treat me like a child? I'm seventeen and I can kiss who I want!"

Harry was taken back, "I never said anything. I was just shocked." He looked at Ron expecting a response. "Ehmm...Ron I think you owe Hermione an explanation."

"What is with the sudden fascination with Malfoy anyway? Why can't you be with someone more like...m..e..." replied Ron, mumbling the last bit of his sentence.

"Ron I was only kissing him. You're acting like he asked me to marry him and I said yes to it. Preposterous!!"

"I'm making a big deal about it because I LIKE YOU!" he yelled.

Hermione looked at him with saddened eyes, "I'm sorry Ron...I... Next time don't just assume you know what is best for me..." Her eyes were flooded with tears. She wiped them away quickly and then disappeared with a pop.

Ron slumped to the ground, "I thought she liked me..."

Harry looked at his friend and felt bad, "Sometimes we as men, assume too much..." Both boys agreed and disappeared back to the Ministry.

...End Flashback...

Hermione turned the page back to the beginning of the book to read some more but hot tears streamed down her face. Some people thought tears were cold and wet but these tears were hot and seared Hermione's face. She wiped them away so that her dorm mate wouldn't see them when he came in. She looked back again to the conversation she had had with Ron about the clearing. He apologized and said that he didn't want their friendship to end over something so stupid. After making amends, it was a little rough between the two of them especially since Ron started dating other girls. The train ride was awkward between them for it was only Hermione and Harry sharing a berth, with Ron with his new girlfriend, elsewhere.

_**SLAM.**_

Hermione jumped with a start, letting her book fall to the floor.

"What are you so jumpy about?" said Draco, coming from the alcove by the portrait door, with a characteristic smirk plastered on his face.

_Why did McGonagall choose him to be Head Boy?_

"Don't be such a jerk, Malfoy!" replied Hermione, bending over to pick up her book again. "You have no consideration for others. Now leave me be...I was reading peacefully before you rudely interrupted me." She huffed, sitting back down on the couch, thumbing her way to the beginning of the book.

Draco rolled his eyes, walking towards the staircase that leads to their rooms, but he doubled back and sat on the couch across from Hermione. "Were you crying?"

"No," she said, rubbing her hands against her scarlet eyes.

"Whatever, are you still reading that book?" Draco said, pointing at the book she held in her hands.

"No, Malfoy...I happen to have finished it weeks ago but I thought I might look through it again...just reflect a bit..." Her eyes got all misty and she began to gaze deeply into the fireplace.

Draco waved his hand in front of her face, "Granger...come on snap out of it! We've been here for only an hour and we haven't killed each other yet." Hermione looked at him with an evil glint in her eyes, which shocked him.

"I guess we are just going to have to get along..." she replied and cracked the spine of her book again.

Draco stood up sighing, "So I guess I can't borrow your book?"

"No Malfoy, you can not read my book go get your own." He rolled his eyes and ran upstairs, in search of a book.

"**CRAP!**" he yelled, gripping his arm.

Hermione heard the crash of a lamp and hollered up from her seat on the couch, "Don't hurt yourself!"

Groaning, he shut his door mocking her warning. He pounded down the stairs and flopped on the couch he had currently occupied. "Don't worry, love...I didn't hurt anything." Draco said suggestively. Hermione looked over her book and made a retching noise in his general direction.

_Gross..._

"Malfoy, what are you reading?" Hermione asked, sitting up on the couch.

"None of your business, Granger," he said, as he went back to reading, "just leave me alone."

The common room went silent for sometime with the occasional turn of the page or the crackle of the fire. Draco looked up from his book every so often and just watched Hermione. For a muggleborn, she was quite attractive. He was surprised by how she had matured, physically...and well...

_Get those dirty thoughts out of your head! YUCK!! Come on forgot that bit that happened between you two in the forest last summer...She probably has already forgotten it..._

He went back to reading his book intently until he glanced up from his reading, again. Hermione looked like she had been sucked into the black and white abyss and only left a shell of her being. Her eyes flicked back and forth as she absorbed the ink-covered pages. He snapped out of his trance and went back to his book but moved to a chair on the opposite side of the room… _Finally no distractions…_

"**OH MY GOSH!!!!**" Hermione yelled. She bolted off the couch. "I can't believe Hogwarts never had a marching band!!" She continued to yell and shriek as she skipped around the room. Hermione had seemingly forgot that she was in the presence of her enemy, a person that she shared a certain awkward past with, and that he could use this outburst for means of blackmail.

Draco smirked to himself as he watched her skip about the room. It was quite amusing for him. He made a bold move and spoke, "**A WHAT?!?!**" It took Hermione a few minutes to realize where she was and in whose company she was sharing. She stopped dead where she stood and looked Draco in the eyes from where she stood next to the fireplace.

"Oh…" her elated esteem deflated again and Draco smirked malevolently.

"Were you just skipping around the room?" He asked quizzically hoping that his eyes had only been playing tricks on him.

"No…" replied Hermione, blushing furiously a deep crimson color.

"You were too…you little liar. What was that about anyway?" said Draco, as Hermione sat down on the couch.

"Nothing, nothing at all. It is none of your business…" She replied with much hostility, as she grabbed her book and kept reading. Draco sighed and went back to his chair and picked up his book again. But this time the book could not keep his mind off of the brunette still sitting in the room.

_…But what if she hasn't forgotten…What if she has thought about it since it happened like I have…There's only one way to find out…_

Draco moved from his side of the room, creeping towards her. He came level with her, standing in front of her. Hermione glanced up at him and then back down at her book, continuing to read. Draco smirked, placing a hand on the top of her book pulling it down, closing it and placing it on the table.

Hermione sat there staring, "What do you think you are doing I was reading -- " but she never finished her statement. Draco had leaned forward and pressed his warm lips to her own. She returned the kiss with the same emotion that they shared over the summer. Hermione pulled Draco down next to her on the sofa, placing one hand on his cheek and the other wrapped about his neck. He held her close, and slipping his tongue across her lips. Draco had his answer and now he knew she hadn't forgotten. His hands rested on her hips as they continued to kiss. Hermione started to pull away gasping for breath. Draco gave her a disappointed look.

"Why did you stop?" he asked her, leaning back against the couch, regaining his breath.

"We need to go patrol…And I need to talk to the Headmistress." answered Hermione, breathing in large gulps of air. Draco still looked confused,

"Uhmmm…so is this going to cause problems between us? I--"

She leaned forward and kissed his smooth lips, tenderly.

"No…there will be no problems with us. I think we will get on quite nicely in my opinion."

_**DING DONG DING…**_

"Come on we need to go patrol…" said Hermione getting up from the couch taking Draco's hand. He stood and walked out behind her through their portrait hole. They flicked on their wands and began patrolling…together.

A/N: Alrighty then…I know this was long for a first chapter…but I still want to know what you all think!! Please Review! Scorpio…

A/N from Undomiel: My oh my did Hermione's focus leave the lack of a marching band quickly! Tee hee. I would be depressed with out marching band...CHAMPIONSHIPS NEXT WEEK!!! ((skips around the room in a Hermione-esque fashion until she realizes that Scorpio and Scorpio's mother are both in the room...clears her throat)) So yes, I love this. ((ad campaign like)) I'm Undomiel8 and I approve this fan fic.

P.S: (Championships were last weekend…SS)

A/N from derF: Championships were last weekend, and I am still depressed over it. But moreover, it is Scorpio's birthday! Wish her a happy birthday and ask her about the lovely necklace I got her... winks I love you Scorpio!


	2. Discussions with the Headmistress

**Chapter 2: Discussions with the Headmistress**

As they walked silently through the halls, Draco thought to himself. _What did she mean by 'I think we will get on quite nicely, in my opinion.' That didn't make any sense...Did she mean that she is considering us or not?_

Draco was shaken from his revere by a sudden shake from Hermione. "Is there something wrong, Draco?"

"No...There is nothing wrong..." _At least, I think there isn't..._

"Good..." replied Hermione, pressing her lips gently to Draco's own. He backed her up against the corridor wall, increasing the passion. Hermione sighed into his lips as his hands roamed over the small of her back. Her breath was coming in raged spurts and Draco groaned, but had to stop, it wasn't right. Well at least not yet that is. He pulled away, regaining his breath.

"Why did you stop?" breathed Hermione, her finger tips moving to her slightly swollen lips. "How many students have we caught already tonight doing the exact thing we were just doing," whispered Draco.

Hermione nodded, taking his hand and started to walk down the hall, heading towards the Headmistresses office. "You're not mad Hermione are you?" asked Draco pausing in the middle of the deserted hall.

"Why would I be mad at a sweet guy like you? You actually take notice of things...Ron would never do that..." she replied. Draco knew well enough to end the conversation or change the subject when it came to the subject of Ron, especially after last year.

"So...let's get going to McGonagall's office." stammered Draco, hoping to quickly change the subject.

* * *

**_KNOCK! KNOCK!_**

Draco pounded on the door incessantly.

"Just a minute please..." came a voice from the inside. The door opened with a snap and there stood their headmistress, Professor McGonagall. She looked tired and it was only the first night back for the students.

"What is it you two? I'm hoping that you have put aside your differences and don't plan to kill each other," came the Headmistress's voice, ushering the top students of the seven year into her study.

"No Professor...it is nothing like that. The Head Girl here actually," Draco pointing to Hermione with a mischievous smirk plastered on his face, "decided that she needed to do some 'light' reading."

"Don't blame me...I-I found something that might benefit the school as a whole," replied Hermione.

"Well my dear...What is it that you have to share with me?"

"What would you do if I suggested that Hogwarts start a marching band?" Hermione spoke, shakily. She wondered to herself if the Headmistress would even consider the idea.

"Well my dear….that is a fabulous idea. I think Mister Malfoy and you are the perfect people to run this event. I will make an announcement tomorrow at breakfast when time tables are passed out to students. And I shall also place sign ups in each of the common rooms."

"Professor…if I could be frank, I would also like to participate. Would that be possible?" replied Hermione.

"Oh of course you can…I don't see why not," answered the Headmistress.

The two women began to talk incessantly of the different arrangements. Hermione described what really it was and all the details that came with it. What neither of them knew was that they had been ignoring Draco. It didn't really bother him at all but since he was Head Boy and part of this misadventure he had to stay.

"I hate to break up the party but I need my sleep and I am not supposed to leave the Head Girl during 'rounds'…" drawled Draco's voice from the corner of the room where he had been leaning against the wall. Hermione rolled her eyes and then smiled. Professor McGonagall smiled and dismissed her bright students.

They walked out the door and McGonagall sat down behind her desk with her head in her hands. "I hope this works Albus."

"Of course it will Minerva….of course it will," replied the previous Headmaster's portrait.

* * *

"Good night, Hermione!" called Draco from his side of the balcony. Hermione waved good night and slipped into her room, throwing herself on the bed. She lay there for several minutes, just thinking…but then she sat bolt upright.

"I have to come up with a theme!!"

**A/N:** I am so so so sorry that I haven't updated in like forever. I hope everyone likes this chapter. I am taking ideas for a theme…so let me know. I am so busy, but I will get to it soon! Laters! Scorpio


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